Main Street is a glow in pumpkin-lit perfection as the giant Mickey jack-o’-lantern returns for Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort. And my oh my! Do they know how to hit the perfect balance of cozy fall vibes and sparkling spookiness.
The season this year from runs August 22–October 31, 2025, with Plaza de la Familia continuing at
What’s new (and what’s back) in 2025
These headliners are the ones you’re bound to plan the day around. We’ve got classic ride overlays including: Haunted Mansion Holiday – come see how Jack has wrecked the mansions halls and this year’s gingerbread house design, Monster’s After Dark – as the sun begins to set Guardians of the Galaxy brings to life a new adventure where you and Rocket team up to rescue the crew after the collector’s monsters have been unleashed, and Radiator Screams – both Mater’s JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-o-Ween and some more seasonal charm to Cars Land (which is decorated to the nines!)
Halloween Screams
The Halloween Screams is also back, thank goodness, with nightly projection shows. Fireworks are limited to Friday – Sunday, this year. However, don’t be surprised if the fireworks specifically are canceled on any given night.
Since Disneyland is located so tightly amongst the Anaheim neighborhood (there are houses less than 3 blocks from the gates), the pyro schedule is subject to local noise ordinances. As well, with homes just a stone’s throw away Fireworks cannot be launched when there is any increased potential for wind to pick up the sparks. In Southern California we have Santa Annas, strong warm winds, throughout much of September and October.
How do I check my nights?
Open the Disneyland app or the Disneyland website’s Calendar/Entertainment page. Select your date, filter for Disneyland Park, and look for “Halloween Screams.”
The listing will explicitly note “with Fireworks” or “with Projections,” plus showtime (often around 9:30 p.m.). Double-check again day-of for weather impact or operational changes.
Why do people love it?
Because it feels like a storybook of spooky
Where to watch
If fireworks are scheduled, the Central Plaza (hub) gives you the full castle canvas. For a little more elbow room, Rivers of America often features show projections with a great vibe, and crowd flow is gentler than the hub. Arrive early on fireworks nights; on projection nights you can slide in later and still have a lovely view. (All showtimes and locations subject to change.)
Haunted Mansion Holiday
“Nightmare Before Christmas” overlays the Mansion with pumpkin patch glamour, peppermint swirls, and that gingerbread-house scent in the ballroom that screams “it’s fall! Like, right now!” Lines spike fast, so if it’s a must-do, aim for rope drop or circle back near park close when lines usually slow. Evening rides add extra mood as New Orleans Square settles into shadow and lantern light.
Disney California Adventure Highlights
Cars Land is peak “cute Halloween.” Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree and Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween layer silly songs and cobwebby charm over gentle rides—perfect palette cleansers between big thrills. Stay put when the sun starts to set for the Cars Land lighting ceremony with a seasonal twist.
As twilight hits, steer toward Avengers Campus: Monsters After Dark jolts the evening alive with crunchy guitar riffs and a zippy rescue plotline that makes even non-thrill-seekers grin once they’ve done it.
If you’ve got little kids, save a daytime pocket for Mickey’s Trick and Treat in the
Oogie Boogie Bash 2025
On select nights from August 17 to October 31, Oogie Boogie Bash – A
Why people love it
Rarer villains, shorter waits on some attractions, and that “it’s our night” after-hours buzz you can’t replicate. If your group is heavy on characters and candy hauls, it is a fantastic splurge. But, with all that Disneyland resort has to offer with a regular park ticket I struggle to justify the cost.
Even if you’re not attending though, California Adventure is still a good bet during the day on party nights. Most guests avoid the park, since it closes early but the daytime ticket is the same price. Which means it’s pretty empty. I tried to film a Lightning Lane challenge in DCA last year, but mistakenly scheduled it for a party day and managed to knock out every ride within about four hours.
Plaza de la Familia (Aug 22–Nov 2)
Between headliners, let Plaza de la Familia slow your heartbeat in the best way. Over in Paradise Gardens Park, live musicians celebrate the spirit of Día de los Muertos. Guests can add remembrances to a memory wall, there are kids craft, and everybody hums along to the beat. It’s communal, and can reframe the whole day around family time.
Food belongs to the moment here, too. Paradise Garden Grill serves a limited-time menu that actually tastes like something you’d crave outside the parks: the Achiote Half Chicken (new), the Loaded Chicken Quesadilla (new), Al Pastor Tacos, a plant-based Carne Asada Wet Burrito, and the sweet-crunchy Buñuelos Biónico for dessert. Mobile order helps you catch a set at the bandstand without waiting in line.
Disneyland Halloween Foods for 2025
This year food offerings at the resort are stacked!. At Alien Pizza Planet, the Haunted Heatwave Pizza brings spiced blush sauce, cupped pepperoni, sausage, smoked bratwurst, red Fresno chiles, and a hot-honey finish.
The Spicy Blush Pasta hits the cozy-plus-zing lane if you’re team-fork. We like sharing plates so you can taste more and avoid the 3 p.m. crash.
Collectors, plan your hunt. A Cars Land Lighted Cone Sipper drops Aug 22, Mickey Mouse Ghost Bucket lands Sept 10, and Kuzco’s Poison Bottle Glow Cube arrives Aug 22 with a Magic Key Kuzco Poison Sipper on Aug 17.
Attending Oogie Boogie Bash? Lean into the indulgence. Award Wieners adds Chili-Cheese Fries (new), Flo’s V8 Café brings back loaded tenders and fries for late-night salt cravings, and Cozy Cone 1 pours a (21+) Ube Hot Chocolate with Vanilla Vodka. The Mayor Sipper is event-only and a very cute trophy for your kitchen shelf.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit
From August 29 to October 31, pick up a map and hunt cleverly hidden themed pumpkins across Disneyland,
Hotels and Downtown Disney
The hotels get festive, too. At the Disneyland Hotel, Broken Spell Lounge debuts a
Practical magic: how to plan the day you actually want
Name your “big three.” For many families, that’s Haunted Mansion Holiday, Monsters After Dark, and Halloween Screams (with fireworks, if your date has them). Build everything else around those anchors and treat the rest as bonus magic. If you’re skipping Oogie Boogie Bash, choose a non-party night at DCA for longer evening hours. Use mobile order for high-demand snacks and novelties.
If your goal is breathing room, plan for late-August or early-September weekdays. You’ll swap a little heat for shorter lines and more space to wander. As Halloween weekend approaches, the energy gets buzzy and crowds get big. Neither is wrong; just decide your vibe and plan toward it.
This season runs on feeling. The castle aglow, the hub humming, and that moment when Zero sails into the night and everyone around you cheers. If you’ve already booked, you picked a banner year. If you haven’t, consider this your sign to circle a weekend and let cooler nights, warm lights, and time together do their quiet, happy work.
